1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns synthetic sweeteners. More particularly, it concerns a new group of dihydrochalcone compounds and their use as sweeteners for edible compositions such as foodstuffs.
2. Background
Dihydrochalcones are compounds having a ##STR2## basic structure. A number of such compounds, both natural and synthetic, have been disclosed in the prior art. These materials vary from one another by the nature and placement of substituents on the aromatic rings.
In 1963, dihydrochalcones took on increased importance when it was discovered that some, but by no means all, of their number are sweet (Horowitz and Gentili, U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,871, issued Apr. 30, 1963). The earliest examples of sweet dihydrochalcones were derived from naturally occurring materials (flavanones) having saccharide residues attached at position four. More recently, applicants, their coworkers, and others have disclosed several sweet dihydrochalcones having smaller and simpler substituents at their four position as evidenced by: Rizzi, U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,301, issued Dec. 17, 1974; Rizzi, U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,270, issued Aug. 7, 1973; Farkus et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,375, issued May 11, 1976; Crosby et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,229, issued Aug. 10, 1976; Crosby et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,790, issued Aug. 24, 1976; and Crosby et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,678, issued Oct. 25, 1977. This work has repeatedly confirmed the empirical nature of the taste-chemical structure relationship. The exact nature of substituents and their placement on the molecule are critical. A change which is minor on its face may have a major effect on the taste properties of the dihydrochalcone. Two taste-related major goals of dihydrochalcone sweetener research are: (1) To provide compounds having solubility in aqueous media adequate to form suitably sweet consumer products; and (2) To eliminate, or at least minimize, the menthol-like aftertaste and prolonged sweet aftertastes which have plagued many of the dihydrochalcones prepared heretofore. The present invention seeks to realize these goals.